CVE-2016-10518: Remote Memory Disclosure in ws
Summary
CVE-2016-10518: Remote Memory Disclosure in ws. Affects ws versions < 1.0.1. Fixed in 1.0.1. How to fix ↓
Also tracked for
- node-ws · Debian:11
The same CVE-2016-10518 is tracked separately for each ecosystem and vendor. Its fix information is the same; the package and affected versions differ.
Check if this vulnerability affects your application
Upload a manifest or SBOM and we'll show whether you're affected, plus every other risky package in the same scan.
No signup required · Results in about 60 seconds
Background
The 'ws' package is an npm package that provides a WebSocket implementation for Node.js. It allows developers to create WebSocket servers and clients for real-time communication between the server and the client. The package is widely used in various applications for enabling bidirectional communication between the server and the client.
Vulnerability Detail
Versions of 'ws' prior to 1.0.1 are affected by a remote memory disclosure vulnerability. In certain rare circumstances, when users control the arguments of a 'client.ping()' call, the 'ws' package may send the contents of an allocated but non-zero-filled buffer to the server. This can potentially expose sensitive information that still exists in memory after previous use of the memory for other tasks.
How To Fix
Latest published version: 8.22.0 as of 22 Oct 2026
npm install ws@8.22.0Upgrading to it may include breaking changes; the version below is the minimum fixed release for this vulnerability.
If you need the minimum change
1.0.1
This is the first release that contains the fix.
npm install ws@1.0.1Tip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →
Workaround
There is no specific workaround mentioned for this vulnerability. The recommended approach is to update to the latest version of the 'ws' package.
Conclusion
The 'ws' package prior to version 1.0.1 is vulnerable to a remote memory disclosure issue. To ensure the security of your application, it is highly recommended to update to the latest version of the package. If you have any further questions or need assistance with vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.
See every vulnerability recorded for ws →
FAQ
This vulnerability can potentially expose sensitive information from memory, which could be used by an attacker to gain unauthorized access or perform other malicious activities.
You can use the Vulert Playground (https://vulert.com/scanner) to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability. Simply provide your package-lock.json file, and Vulert will analyze it for any open-source vulnerabilities, including this one.
There is no known exploit available for this vulnerability at the moment. However, it is still important to update to the latest version of the 'ws' package to ensure the security of your application.
If you cannot update to the latest version of the 'ws' package immediately, it is recommended to review your application's code and ensure that user-controlled arguments are properly validated and sanitized before being used in 'client.ping()' calls.
You can find more information about this vulnerability, including the technical details and the fix, in the GitHub Advisory Database (https://github.com/github/advisory-database/blob/main/advisories/github-reviewed/2019/02/GHSA-2mhh-w6q8-5hxw/GHSA-2mhh-w6q8-5hxw.json).
Related vulnerabilities
Recent vulnerabilities recorded for ws.
